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45 single, Side A. RCA Victor (47-9799) (1970)
Image credit: boyjohn at 45cat.com
"Tomorrow Is Forever" is a single by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 19, 1970, by RCA Victor as the second single from their fourth collaborative studio album, Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca. The song was written by Dolly and produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Track listing

Side A
  • Tomorrow Is Forever (Dolly Parton) 2:45
Side B
  • ​Mendy Never Sleeps (Dolly Parton) 2:05

Background

In her 2020 book, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, Dolly recalled, "Tomorrow Is Forever" is one of my favorite love songs that Porter and I did. I was always writing love songs, but because we were doing duets we needed more of them. Porter encouraged me to write more love songs instead of story songs and songs about my home. So this was when I started expanding my songwriting."

Recording

"Tomorrow Is Forever" was recorded on December 2, 1969, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. "Mendy Never Sleeps" was recorded on April 22, 1969, during a session for Porter and Dolly's previous album, Always, Always.

Dolly has re-recorded "Tomorrow Is Forever" twice. She recorded a duet version with Solomon Burke for his Nashville album in 2006. She recorded a solo version that was included on her 2016 album, Pure & Simple.

Audio

Critical reception

The review in the January 31, 1970 issue of Billboard described the song as "a moving performance" and predicted the single would "carry them right back to the top of the country charts."

Cashbox also reviewed the single in their January 31, 1970 issue. They described the track as a "philosophical ballad" with "a winning sound."
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Billboard review, January 31, 1970.
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Cashbox review, January 31, 1970.

Commercial performance

"Tomorrow Is Forever" debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated February 14, 1970. It peaked at number nine on the chart dated April 4, its eighth week on the chart. It charted for 15 weeks. It also peaked at number 10 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number 34 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.
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Billboard advertisement, April 25, 1970.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the 2014 box set, Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976.
"Tomorrow Is Forever"
  • Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Danny Davis – trumpet
  • Pete Drake – steel guitar
  • Bobby Dyson – bass
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • ​Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Johnny Gimble – fiddle
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • George McCormick – rhythm guitar
  • William McElhiney – trumpet
  • June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
  • Dale Sellers – electric guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo
  • Porter Wagoner – lead vocals​
"Mendy Never Sleeps"
  • ​David Briggs – piano
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Anita Carter – background vocals
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • ​Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Lloyd Green – steel guitar
  • Roy Huskey Jr. – bass​
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • George McCormick – rhythm guitar
  • Wayne Moss – electric guitar
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – rhythm guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo
  • Porter Wagoner – lead vocals
  • Hurshel Wiginton – background vocals​